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Feds - Against Game Pirates - they serious?
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itzjonny
Member
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1. August 2007 @ 22:14 |
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saw this on teamxbox -
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070801/customs_gaming_raids.html?.v=1
Quote:
Federal Agents Go After Gaming Pirates
Wednesday August 1, 1:12 pm ET
By Dan Caterinicchia, AP Business Writer
Immigration and Customs Raid Businesses, Homes for Chips That Allow Use of Pirated Video Games
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal customs agents Wednesday raided more than 30 businesses and homes, looking for devices that let pirated video games play on Sony's PlayStation 2, Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360, and Nintendo's Wii.
The alleged sale and distribution of illegal modification chips and copyright circumvention devices for the popular consoles and others included 32 search warrants in 16 states, said the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE declined to release the names of those targeted or any other details.
The illegal chips and other devices used on gaming consoles violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. Sales of counterfeit or illegally obtained games costs the industry about $3 billion a year globally, not including Internet piracy, estimates the Entertainment Software Association trade group.
"Illicit devices like the ones targeted today are created with one purpose in mind, subverting copyright protections," Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for ICE, said in a release. "These crimes cost legitimate businesses billions of dollars annually and facilitate multiple other layers of criminality, such as smuggling, software piracy and money laundering."
The federal raids came after a yearlong investigation conducted by ICE's Office of the Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Cleveland, which coordinated with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio and the Department of Justice's Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section.
ICE said it also received technical assistance from the software association and other industry members.
Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft Corp. issued a statement applauding ICE's efforts to reduce piracy and protect the gaming industry's intellectual property. A company spokeswoman would not divulge Microsoft's individual piracy losses.
Shares of Microsoft added 15 cents to $29.14 in afternoon trading, while Sony Corp. dipped 44 cents to $52.30[/qoute]
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theridges
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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2. August 2007 @ 03:13 |
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yep..
it was on all the gaming sites..
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BryanNH_3
Member
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2. August 2007 @ 05:18 |
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How surprising is it? Here's the full press release from MS & Nintendo: http://www.xboxscene.com/ - The hacking on the wii caused over $700 million dollars in damages! OF COURSE the feds are going to go after, shut down, prosecute and lock up anyone involved in the selling of mod-chips that circumvent protection schemes used to keep the gaming company's interests on the shelves and in the stores!
They lost over $700,000,000 - and we wonder why games are $60 ... who here is responsible for some of this? Thanks alot!
blah
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Senior Member
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2. August 2007 @ 06:18 |
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Haha they know about the entire scene to, because no iso loader for ps3 yet, where were you at pdx? Well what are you gonna do about? First it was music in 1998, and what have they done about? Nothing, how come they didn't expect this and prepare for it? They kind of did trying to make security, but it was cracked. Maybe ps3 has done something right for now it's gonna keep going on until something drastic happens.
In fact I think we would be fooling our selves if we have a community this large, and did not realize that there are some enemies present. |
Senior Member
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2. August 2007 @ 07:50 |
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just another reason not to pirate games eh? well, i still don't think they're going to do much about it. as far as i'm concerned, they can't unless they're directly linked to pirating materials themselves, but i'm not too familiar with the law
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 2. August 2007 @ 07:56
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Senior Member
1 product review
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2. August 2007 @ 11:49 |
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they automatically think everyone who has a chip is a pirate. what happened to legit backups. It's really sad to see my tax money going to feds to catch chip makers rather than to find osama.
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Senior Member
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2. August 2007 @ 12:35 |
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Originally posted by BurningAs:
they automatically think everyone who has a chip is a pirate. what happened to legit backups. It's really sad to see my tax money going to feds to catch chip makers rather than to find osama.
seriously, unless they know for certain that someone is making illegit copies, they should be spending the money on more important issues
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Senior Member
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2. August 2007 @ 14:33 |
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Originally posted by BurningAs:
they automatically think everyone who has a chip is a pirate. what happened to legit backups. It's really sad to see my tax money going to feds to catch chip makers rather than to find osama.
Just as I said about the music they haven't done anything about it yet. It's just like everything else in the usa it happens, then it is forgotten. It's just an on going cycle of bs in our society today.
In fact I think we would be fooling our selves if we have a community this large, and did not realize that there are some enemies present.
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BryanNH_3
Member
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2. August 2007 @ 14:40 |
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But everyone who does have a chip AND makes any sort of backup IS a pirate!
That would be like saying that they think that everyone who takes something isn't theirs is a theif ... and that theives are only who blatantly rob convenience stores or banks ...
Pirating is pirating, whether or not it makes you feel good to realise that, it is the truth! You agree to certain terms when you buy an xBox or a game, and if you break those terms then you are pirating!
Taking a nickel from your grandma is stealing just the same as someone who robs a bank! Different levels of it, yes, but its still stealing or robbery!
Pirating IS Pirating be it with a backup copy or burning then selling games!
blah
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Senior Member
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2. August 2007 @ 16:28 |
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i didn't know modchips were illegal? i only though illegal copies of games was illegal!
are they illegal in both US and Canada?
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AfterDawn Addict
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2. August 2007 @ 17:55 |
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Some modchips are illegal, and some aren't. Chip's which come preflashed with bios which will let the user bypass security checks for booting backups are illegal. Chips which are blank or have a bios which serves a different purpose are legal. There are legal chips for the ps2 and xbox 1. Of course, if the user flashes that chip with a third party firmware which bypasses security, they just made that chip illegal.
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Senior Member
1 product review
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2. August 2007 @ 19:33 |
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Originally posted by BryanNH_3:
... makes any sort of backup IS a pirate!..
that's a whole other argument man in to the unclear laws of DMCA.
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Senior Member
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2. August 2007 @ 22:35 |
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Originally posted by BryanNH_3:
But everyone who does have a chip AND makes any sort of backup IS a pirate!....
Pirating IS Pirating be it with a backup copy or burning then selling games!
I'm going to have to disagree with that being that if making backups was pirating, then I assume providing a place for people to communicate ideas on backing games up would also be illegal, and afterdawn is still up and running 100% legit. therefor I don't believe that that statement is fully true.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 2. August 2007 @ 22:36
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Senior Member
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3. August 2007 @ 04:35 |
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Originally posted by BryanNH_3:
But everyone who does have a chip AND makes any sort of backup IS a pirate!....
Pirating IS Pirating be it with a backup copy or burning then selling games!
Making Backups is not piracy!
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itzjonny
Member
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3. August 2007 @ 05:30 |
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^ & selling backups is considered piracy.
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AfterDawn Addict
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3. August 2007 @ 05:55 |
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If you're benefiting (profiting) from the work of other's than that is piracy. And benefiting can be as minimal as making a backup (only for yourself) of a game you either don't own or do own but plan on selling once you back it up.
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AfterDawn Addict
1 product review
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3. August 2007 @ 06:32 |
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It pretty clear according the the DMCA that anything that circumvents copy protection is against the law. Everyone who flashes their 360 is at least guilty of that. Many of the busted were not selling pirated games. Actual piracy is a different law that I'm sure some of them violated too. It was just a matter of time for this to happen once the DMCA became law.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 3. August 2007 @ 08:14
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Senior Member
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3. August 2007 @ 08:04 |
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Originally posted by Memnock:
It pretty clear accord the the DMCA that anything that circumvents copy protection is against the law. Everyone who flash their 360 is at least guilty of that. Many of the bust were not selling pirated games. Actual piracy is a different law that I'm sure some of them violated too. It was just a matter of time for this to happen once the DMCA became law.
so are you saying it is illegal to mod your console to play backups?
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AfterDawn Addict
1 product review
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3. August 2007 @ 08:13 |
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Originally posted by ha9981:
Originally posted by Memnock:
It pretty clear accord the the DMCA that anything that circumvents copy protection is against the law. Everyone who flash their 360 is at least guilty of that. Many of the bust were not selling pirated games. Actual piracy is a different law that I'm sure some of them violated too. It was just a matter of time for this to happen once the DMCA became law.
so are you saying it is illegal to mod your console to play backups?
Yes that's now illegal in the US.
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hugo2x
Newbie
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3. August 2007 @ 10:18 |
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I agree its like bongs at pipe shops you can buy them legally as long as you only smoke tobacco out of them. The same goes for modchips as long as you use community made bios you aren't breaking any laws. But to me it seem Feds are looking at modchips as a piracy phenomenon.
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Senior Member
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3. August 2007 @ 10:37 |
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Originally posted by Memnock:
Originally posted by ha9981:
Originally posted by Memnock:
It pretty clear accord the the DMCA that anything that circumvents copy protection is against the law. Everyone who flash their 360 is at least guilty of that. Many of the bust were not selling pirated games. Actual piracy is a different law that I'm sure some of them violated too. It was just a matter of time for this to happen once the DMCA became law.
so are you saying it is illegal to mod your console to play backups?
Yes that's now illegal in the US.
was it like this year or something?
so is this site officially illegal in the US as it tells you how to mode your console for backups?
and making backups is also illegal now right?
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AfterDawn Addict
1 product review
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3. August 2007 @ 12:08 |
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Here you go for the DMCA info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMCA
It was signed into law in 1998. I think the ICE ball started rolling with so many sites selling pre-flashed Xbox 360 and chipped Wiis since both allow copied games to boot without additional work. I think most of the older PS2 and Xbox chip required you to flash them with a BIOS and that's how they stayed in a grey area.
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Rydis
Member
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3. August 2007 @ 15:02 |
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Originally posted by BryanNH_3:
How surprising is it? Here's the full press release from MS & Nintendo: http://www.xboxscene.com/ - The hacking on the wii caused over $700 million dollars in damages! OF COURSE the feds are going to go after, shut down, prosecute and lock up anyone involved in the selling of mod-chips that circumvent protection schemes used to keep the gaming company's interests on the shelves and in the stores!
They lost over $700,000,000 - and we wonder why games are $60 ... who here is responsible for some of this? Thanks alot!
PS1 and PS2 games were 50 dollars long before modchips and swapmagic ever game into play.
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Zerker_RR
Newbie
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3. August 2007 @ 18:44 |
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Can anyone here honestly say they know of anyone with a MOD chip, that doesn't have at least one "back up" of a game they do not own?
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varnull
Suspended permanently
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3. August 2007 @ 19:35 |
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i personally dont have any backups that i dont own, thats piracy and i think you should only get what you earn.
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